Neil Young - Second Song album arrives in September 2026

Neil Young is preparing the release of his new studio album Second Song with The Chrome Hearts. According to an album announcement from Reprise Records reported by Consequence, the record is scheduled for September 18, 2026, with multiple formats planned for a worldwide rollout. Consequence’s album report confirms the date and outlines the basic shape of the release.

New album Second Song and German chart context

Second Song is described as Neil Young’s second studio album with his current band The Chrome Hearts and will be released via Reprise Records on September 18, 2026, followed by physical editions on October 30, 2026. Coverage aligned with Reprise emphasizes that the album spans seven tracks and leans on long, expansive arrangements rather than short radio singles, continuing the exploratory direction of his recent work with the group. This comes after the live release As Time Explodes – Live Album, which documents parts of the 2025 Love Earth Tour across Europe and North America.

The German market offers a concrete chart anchor for Young’s current phase. According to the Official German Charts, As Time Explodes – Live Album, credited to Neil Young & The Chrome Hearts, entered the German album chart in late May 2026 and reached number 63. Swiss chart data for the same release shows a peak at number 37, underlining that this live document resonated particularly in central Europe. These positions are modest compared with classic albums like Harvest but underline that new Neil Young releases still register in Germany’s core album rankings. The Official German Charts search lists several recent entries, including earlier 2025 titles such as Oceanside Countryside and the soundtrack-linked Coastal, both of which also briefly appeared in the national album rundown.

From canceled European tour to Farm Aid 2026

Alongside the studio work, Young’s live calendar for 2026 has shifted considerably. In November 2025 he announced a European and U.K. leg of the Love Earth Tour with The Chrome Hearts, including festival and outdoor dates in Manchester, Nîmes, Nancy, Glasgow, Cork, Locarno and Lucca. Outlets such as Ultimate Classic Rock and Jambase detailed this run, with shows scheduled between June 19 and July 16, 2026, and several dates featuring Elvis Costello & The Imposters as special guests. Ultimate Classic Rock’s tour announcement lays out the full list of planned cities and venues across the U.K. and continental Europe.

However, Young subsequently canceled all of these European dates in February 2026. German rock station Rockland, among others, reported that he decided to take a break from touring and would not bring the planned Love Earth itinerary to European stages that summer. That left Germany, where a Waldbühne Berlin concert and other major shows had been expected based on the earlier 2025 tour pattern, without any confirmed 2026 Neil Young appearance. As of late August 2026, the first firmly announced concert date on his schedule is a performance with The Chrome Hearts at Farm Aid in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on September 26, 2026, where he is billed alongside Willie Nelson and other long-standing Farm Aid artists.

What shapes Neil Young’s current sound

Musically, Second Song extends the collaboration with The Chrome Hearts that began on the studio album Talkin to the Trees and continued on the live set As Time Explodes – Live Album. These records move between folk-rock, electric jams and environmental themes, with guitar-driven passages that recall the weight of his classic work with Crazy Horse but a somewhat sharper, more contemporary band chemistry. Producer and label information points to a Reprise framework similar to his earlier catalog, ensuring continuity in how the records are presented and distributed.

What’s next in Neil Young’s schedule

Neil Young’s next confirmed live appearance is at Farm Aid in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on September 26, 2026, where he is set to perform with The Chrome Hearts as part of the annual benefit lineup.

This article was created with AI assistance and editorially reviewed. Sources are linked in the text. Dates, chart positions and certifications can change at short notice; correction notes are welcome via the editorial contact on our imprint/contact page.